A variety of structures and devices have been made for cats and other pets to satisfy their natural need to climb, play, and rest on elevated areas. Typical pet structures and devices for this purpose, however, are either very large and cumbersome which cannot be easily and quickly disassembled, or limited to small scratching devices. Large freestanding animal structures are often constructed of wood with carpet covering and consist of long and heavy sidepieces. These large structures are cumbersome both for the pet owner to assemble and maintain, as well as for the retailer to acquire and stock for sale.
Attempts at workable animal structures have also suffered from a lack of flexibility in their configuration. Various attempts have been made to increase the flexibility and ease of use of such structures using detachable elements. Such attempts have been largely unsuccessful, however, due to manufacturing costs and design deficiencies.
It is conventional to provide play and exercise structures, such as posts, poles and beams, for household pets. For example, poles having platforms or decks upon which the cat can climb and perch, are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,595,209; 3,479,991; and 3,479,990. Structures upon which cats can climb and sharpen their claws have also been suggested, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,873.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,209, issued to Parker, describes an exercise pole assembly for cats. The pole extends between the floor and ceiling of a room, and consists of a plurality of sections held in vertical orientation by dowels. The dowels are removable to allow the posts to be easily disassembled to move the assembly. The dowels fit through optional platforms to secure the platforms between the sections. The pole is held in place by a spring bias force exerted between the top section and the top platform while the top platform is in engagement with the ceiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,279, issued to Bell, describes an animal play structure comprising four parallel posts. The posts have apertures therein to receive rods, which connect the posts together. The rods also act as supports for the platforms. Ramps are connected to rods at different levels to allow the animal to move from a platform at one level to a platform at a different level. Each pole is made of a plurality of sections, and are vertically aligned by dowels.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,479,991, issued to Lichtenberger, describes an animal climbing structure consisting of a plurality of tubular sections oriented vertically on top of one another. The structure is placed between two surfaces, such as a floor and a ceiling, and is removably fixed in that position by a thread extendable and retractable plate located at the bottom of the structure. The sections are held together by plugs, one end of which is fixed inside one of the sections, and the other end of which forms a male connector for insertion into the corresponding section. Platforms are mounted on the structure between the sections by placing the male portion of the plug through an aperture in the platform to secure the platform in its position. The exterior of each section and platform is covered by a suitable traction surface, such as carpet, to allow the animal to scratch and climb.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,479,990, issued to Crow, describes a cat tree consisting of a tubular structure extending between a floor and a ceiling. The tube consists of a plurality of sections, in this case three, with the middle tube section having crimped ends. The crimped ends fit into the tubular ends of the top tube section and the bottom tube section to releasably secure the three tubes together in a vertical orientation. The bottom tube section is attached to a platform, which sits on the floor and acts as a base. A plunger is located in the top tube section, and is longitudinally extendable therefrom. The plunger extends to engage the ceiling, and is fixed at any desired extended position by a set screw. The plunger pushes against the ceiling, while the base engages the floor, thus keeping the structure in place. Platforms are located in fixed positions along the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,265, issued to Manson, describes a cat scratching pole and exercise structure consisting of two posts fixedly mounted on a base and spaced apart from one another. The two posts are connected by a rod to allow the cat to walk between the posts, among other things. The posts and base are covered by a pile material adequate for cat scratching.
The products currently available for use as play structures for small animals have several limitations that effect their utility and function. Several products require a floor and ceiling to be relatively close together in order for the structure to be adequately supported. Many products available for use as play structures for small animals have a substantially fixed configuration and are not meant to be modified once installed. If the structures are able to be modified, then only a few minor parts are repositionable within the framework of the existing structure.
There is a need for a modular, reconfigurable structure that is attractive to and usable by cats and other small animals, while providing ease of assembly, storage and maintenance both to pet owners and retailers.